Year of The Cat
by meethzoonk
Summary: When a century old wooden box is found, Kyo discovers that he must find a way to avoid the destiny given by his ancestors. Mystic changes follows, a love triangle, and a race against time till the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Day.
1. Prologue

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YEAR OF THE CAT  
by meethzoonk

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Category : drama mystery romance  
_Rating _: PG-13  
_Summary _: When a century-old wooden box is found in the attic, Kyo discovers that he must find a way to avoid the destiny given to him by his ancestors. Mystic changes follows, a love triangle, and a race against time till the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Day.  
_Disclaimer _: I own absolutely nothing, for this story is based on the characters and situations of Fruits Basket created and owned by Natsuki Takaya. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended either.

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**_Prologue._**

  
It was the same thing over and over again, repeating endlessly for the past few weeks. The same dream of horror and bloodshed. The exact feeling of coldness swept through him the minute he closed his eyes. A never-ending terror inside his mind…

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Where am I?

He was in a place, inside a majestic room, running away from the battle outside. He could hear them ringing in his ears, the screams of the dying and the dead. He remembered having visions of broken limbs, parts of what was once a human being, scattered all over the battle field. And monsters with red fiery eyes, descending live men down their scaly throats, tearing soldiers limb to limb and throwing its pieces away like used waste.

Then his sight returned to the room. He was still running, this time, he realised, guided by a soldier wearing a red battle uniform.

"This way, Sohma!" cried the soldier. The soldier ran towards a vast picture and swung its hinges, revealing a secret passage behind it. The boy called Sohma turned to the soldier in red and drew in a surprised breath as he realised that the red on him was blood, still flowing fresh from an open wound. But there was so much blood on him and so much people dying at their feet, that the boy was sure that part of it wasn't even his own.

"You're hurt," the boy said.

The soldier smiled at him and winced as he put his own hand against his wound, "Don't mind me, just go inside. You have to live!" the soldier said.

"What about you? You will follow me in, won't you?"

"I am no one important." said the soldier, "It doesn't matter if I die. But you Sohma, you can't die. Only you can protect the box. Now go, before they come!"

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They? Box? What -- ?

"Don't be _stupid_!" hissed the boy, "Of course it matters! To me, it matters. You trusted me before anyone else did. You will not die that easily and I will not let you."

The soldier smiled proudly, and for a moment the boy thought he saw a last glint of joy in his eyes, "I thought you knew me better than to let myself die easily, Sohma." the soldier said, half-jokingly. "If I were to die, then I shall die in honor. I could die in battle, but if I were to choose, then I shall die protecting you." There was an edge of finality in his voice.

The boy stared at the soldier somberly, "You can't be serious.."

"But I am. I was appointed by your father to protect you and I shall protect you with my life. It is my destiny."

The boy called Sohma looked taken aback. Yet, he understood the soldier's earnestness. The man before him had the same glint in his eyes as those who are ready to glare in the eyes of Death. But he doesn't want him to die, even if it is his destiny to protect the one heir of the cat jyuunishi. To hell with the jyuunishi. The soldier's life was much more valuable to him than any other thing in the world.

"I d-don't want you to die." he stammered, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes. "I especially don't want you to die for me. That's stupid. You're stupid to think so!"

The soldier looked sadly at him. "Sohma.."

Suddenly, something banged on the wall beside them, and the whole room shook. The soldier glanced quickly at the said wall and turned back to the boy, his hands clutching tightly on the boy's shoulders, "You hear that!? They're coming… you have to go!" he whispered frantically.

The boy shook his head stubbornly, "I won't go into safety by myself. I won't leave like a coward. Come with me!"

"Don't make me force you! If I go with you they'll find you too! Please go, or I will have to make you!" the soldier insisted.

The boy sulked heavily, "Why does this have to happen to me? To you? I didn't want to be born with the curse of the Cat! All I wanted was to live a normal life with you as my _friend_ by my side! Not my _protector_!"

"But that's impossible, Sohma." The soldier looked sad again.

He laughed darkly and nodded, "I know. But where will I be once you're gone? I'll be alone again. Living isn't living when you're alone."

"As long as you don't die -- "

"But what's the purpose -- " the wall banged hard again, and pieces of broken wood scattered from the ceiling. The soldier looked at the cracked wall in panic and tried to push the boy inside but the boy fought back, pushing him back in anger.

"What's the purpose of living if you can't die in the first place?" he continued, "What's the purpose of dying if you don't live in the first place? I don't understand. If I have to live I want to live with you, and If I have to die I'd like to die with you, Kidou!"

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Kidou? Could that be the soldier's name?

The soldier looked hard at him, and words seem to flow more from his eyes rather from his mouth. The boy called Sohma looked up at him hopefully. He thought the soldier had reconsidered. He thought the soldier would let him fight with him. But he thought wrong.

"I'm sorry." murmured the soldier, resting his hands on the boy's chest. "I can't take the risk of endagering you. I don't think I can handle it if you die…"

"But - "

"Goodbye," with that, he shoved the boy hard into the passage. As the boy stumbled to get up, the soldier slammed the entrance shut, without a crack of light, sound, or even air. "No!!"

The boy called Sohma stood up abruptly and banged on the entrance gate, "Please open.. please open.." he said repeatedly as he clawed desperately for an opening, but there was none. "Kidou.." he whispered. But none, he could do. None, but sit down and listen to the sound of silence.

Listen.

He pressed his ears against the gate with slight hesitation and tried to listen. He heard…

He heard sounds of shattered walls, breaking glass, and something break into the room.

He heard a slash of sword and a scream.

He heard the soldier's last words.

He heard something break.

He heard something rip apart…

"No.." the boy gasped and pulled himself from the gate, putting one trembling hand over his mouth. "He's dead…" he realised. He _heard_ him die. As he staggered away from it he couldn't stop himself from shaking. All the grief he was supposed let go through his tears seem to flow through his whole body. His grief was beyond tears.

He could only imagine his death, _them_, carrying his decapitated head in their fists, like they did to the other soldiers in the battle. Crushing his head so easily like a soft shell, and laugh at it without any sense of guilt.

As his back touched the wall, he let himself slide down to the floor. He took out a small wooden box from under his clothes and looked at it with pure vengeance. "All for this box…"

He twirled the box with his fingers and chanted something under his breath, the black and white beads on his wrist vibrated as he did so.

"If this box is so important…" he took out a knife from his pocket and engraved his family name into the box, along with the year beside it. "Then I will die with it.."

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What!? Hey, wait, no. You can't just…

With the box gripped tightly in one hand, and his knife in the other, the boy called Sohma mumbled the same last words the soldier had said, and drove the sharp end of the blade through his heart.

A jet of blood rushed freely from his death wound, more blood streamed, so much blood, and within moments he was covered in them. His clothes, soaked in red. The black and white beads on his wrist gleamed crimson. His orange hair slowly turned as red as his eyes which was left open to stare into eternal darkness lifelessly.

As the secret entrance burst open, and the monstrous beasts entered, all left in its path was nothing but a lifeless corpse, looking so much like a broken marionette drenched in scarlet liquid.

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It's too cold. I can't feel myself…

**

Sohma Kyo bolted awake, and sat up in a steam of cold sweat. He grasped his throat numbly, feeling nauseated. His whole body shivered in the coldness, or maybe rather in fright. He didn't know. All he knows now is his fingers and toes are numb, unable to feel. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked around him.

He paused.

"Ahaha.. stupid Kyo." he laughed hollowly. No wonder he felt cold, he had fallen asleep on the roof and snow had fallen last night. He stood up right and admired himself for a short while. He was covered in snow almost from head to toe, probably looking like an abominable snowman with orange hair. He sniggered mentally at the thought as he brushed them off.

Seeing the big gap of snow where he had been sleeping, he reckoned he must've thrashed in his sleep. Good thing, or he might have froze. He shuddered and sat back down, legs crossed, and looked up into the night sky. He glanced shortly at his watch and realised that it was three in the morning. A few hours earlier from his usual wake-up time.

Still though, he couldn't help but think about these dreams he had been having…

He brushed an amount of snow off his head and buried his head deep in his arms. He remembered the blood, the grief, the pain he felt in the dream. But he doesn't remember what it's actually about. There might have been a very familiar-looking boy in it, but he wasn't so sure. A sense of unexplainable terror blocked him from remembering it.

Yet these dreams had been playing over and over in his mind for more than two weeks now. Could this be a preminition? No, he thought. It felt more like something from the past, not something that hasn't happened. Then maybe it was his past life? Kyo scratched his head puzzledly. Obviously, there's no proof it wasn't. But there's no proof it was either.

Kyo had learned something called the animal instinct when he was little. Being a jyuunishi, his instincts were usually stronger than ordinary human beings. For all he knew, these dreams could be a warning.

Then again, it was nothing he should think about. "Lousy dream." Kyo mumbled. He laid back down and stretched his arms and legs drowsily.

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What can a dream do to you anyway? It's just a dream… he lay awake, staring into the dark sky until the break of dawn.

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	2. The Box In The Attic

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Disclaimer : I own absolutely nothing, for this story is based on the characters and situations of _Fruits Basket_ created and owned by Takaya Natsuki. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended either.

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**_Chapter 1. The Box In The Attic._**

  
Sohma Akito leaned by the girdle of the window, watching the sun rise from the east. The sky had just altered from dark to light, and the morning air scorched with golden fire fairly above the snow-covered treetops. The crispy light of dawn poured through the window where he was, and he covered his eyes with his hand to shield himself from it.

He shivered as he felt the heat mount up his torso, like burning notes of an old hymn he had long forgotten. The warmth of the rays danced across his pale skin as if mocking him, because he wasn't destined to enjoy it while everyone else did.

It was simply sickening.

A surge of anger suddenly washed over him. With a cry of fury, Akito grabbed the nearest ornament to him and flung it hard on the tatami floor. It shattered with a sound like a bomb dropping, broken pieces of porcelain flying in all directions.

A deafening silence was left to span between the sounds of broken porcelain and the footsteps from the hallway that shortly followed. The door then slid open.

"What happened?" asked Sohma Hatori as he came inside, his face unperturbed as it always was. His greenish eyes darted to the shattered remains of the porcelain, and he realised he didn't need an answer. It was clearly visible what Akito had done to the remaining vase in the room. He quickly bent down on one knee and hastily picked up the broken pieces with his bare hands.

"Akito, if you need anything.." he broke off, seeing that Akito had his back at him. The man stood still, facing the window, arms tucked in within his kimono robes, as if nothing ever happened.

As usual.

Hatori's eyes flickered as he looked back down at the sharp fragments and continued to pick it up without hesitant, despite the faint red scratches it gave his fingers. He had gotten used in doing so, ignoring his every pain for Akito, crushing it inside like it never mattered. But Hatori cared for him, even though he had pained when he was forcedly separated with Kana, even more when he had to erase the memories they shared together from her mind. But no.

He would never turn his back on him.

To be the one pointed with responsibility of the jyuunishis. To know that death might knock on your door no matter when. To not believe in what you can't see, not cry at what you can't feel, and live a life in a windowless prison build up brick by brick by your own prejudice and ego. Hatori could never turn his back on Akito, because he knew the reasons beyond his actions, or at least thinks he does. Despite how immoral they are.

"Hatori," called Akito abruptly.

Hatori raised his head slowly, tadly surprised by the sudden call, "Yes?" he inquired.

"What month is it now?" Akito asked, his voice drawling in an unusual mocking tone, "I don't quite remember."

"It's December, Akito." Hatori replied.

"Ah, another year's end." mused Akito, "And who will be dancing the ritual dance at New Year's?"

"I will," answered Hatori obediently, "This year was my year, the Year of the Dragon, wasn't that so?"

Akito gave a deep chuckle, "You'll look good in your outfit."

"W-well, I --"

"How long has it been since your last dance?" questioned Akito, putting a hand on his chin. "Shall we say, ah.. ten years?"

"Almost thirteen years, Akito." corrected Hatori.

"That's right," Akito said matter-of-factly, "The time has finally come. After thirteen years, the Dragon will dance again. This year's party will be very interesting indeed, especially on the dawn New Year's Day... _when the cat reaches its height in power_." he added silently.

Hatori's eyebrow shot up. "I-I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing."

Akito turned around, looking somehow fragile with his dark hair draping against his pale face in the dim sunlight that entered the room. The cold air outside had whipped a faint shade of teal into his cheeks. But his dark, narrow eyes gave out a hostile knowledge that didn't quite fit with it all.

Knowledge Hatori didn't know.

Akito folded his arms across his chest and eyed his surroundings evenly, "Well, I see that you've cleaned up the mess. Then I don't need you anymore. You can go now," he said stiffly, spinning away.

Hatori looked at Akito for a long moment before nodding briskly, and walked off. As he turned and left, Hatori felt a dreaded feeling developing in the pit of his stomach. Something was being planned, perfectly, but what, he doesn't know. He had just lifted his hand to slide the door open when Akito suddenly halted him with a shout,

"Wait!"

Hatori stopped abruptly and spun on his heel to face him.

"Wait.." repeated Akito, drawing his kimono robes more tightly around him, "On second thought, I _do_ need you. I've always needed you. You have one more thing to do for me, Hatori. Can you take this task I ask you to do?"

The one being asked suddenly looked somber, "I'll do what I can."

"Then you shall call Shigure and tell him that I wish to invite him, Yuki, the cat, and that girl to stay here, just for the night." Akito demanded in a harsh whisper, "You will tell them this to the point they _cannot_ refuse."

Hatori gazed at him blankly, "I-invite them? Here?" he stuttered, searching for an answer within Akito's cold eyes, but it gave away nothing, "But Akito, _why_ - ?"

"Why? Why, I have my own reasons Hatori." he muttered, a secretive smile plastered across his face. Akito looked smugly satisfied, "Remember, I will be expecting them to arrive at noon today. That is all. You may depart now."

Hatori looked down at the broken pieces in his hand. It suddenly seemed so far away. He vaguely remembered nodding, turning, and leaving with his head still spinning.

The invitation, secrets, Akito's silent mutter about the cat's height in power. What was going on?

***

Honda Tohru looked out the window of the kitchen and smiled. It had begun to snow last night, lightly, like flour sifting from the sky. And by morning, the vast garden of the house was already blanketed in a white tapestry of snowflakes. It was a scene unlike any other, and Tohru leaned closer to the window for a better view.

Out of nowhere, a streak of black and orange flashed by the said window. Tohru needn't a second look to see who it was, for she knew that that was Kyo who'd rather jump off rooftops than climb gracefully down the ladder.

"Good morning, Kyo-kun!" she greeted him as he burst in through the door.

"Morning," he replied wearily, "What's for breakfast?"

"I made beef teriyaki and rice. I know it's not much, but I hope you'll like it!"

"Sure," said Kyo, "As long as it isn't leek, miso, or scallion, I'd be happy to finish everything you make us."

Tohru beamed at him.

Kyo turned his head to the hallway, "It's pretty damn quiet here. What happened to kuso nezumi and the dog man?"

"We-ell," started Tohru, looking perplexed. "Yuki-kun, I assume, is still sleeping and Shigure-san is answering the phone."

"The phone?" echoed Kyo, "At a time like this? Who calls people at daybreak anyway?"

"I don't know about that but-- oh! I think he's coming..."

Shigure strided into the room, the phone carried in one hand, and the handle, linked with a long cord, held in the other, up against his ear. He seemed to be in a deep conversation with someone - probably Ayame, Hatori or his poor, suffering editor. Vaguely, Kyo noticed there was something different from Shigure, apart from the maroon yukata he rarely wore, there was something else missing from him.

"Yes," Shigure was saying solemnly, and everybody else gathered around him. At close range, Kyo realised what it was. His smile, was not on his face. Nor was the usual mischievous cheeriness in his eyes. Above it all, his face was set in a seriously grave expression, which was something hardly ever seen on Shigure's face. He couldn't remember the last time he saw that mask on him. "I understand, Ha-san," Shigure continued, "but I still have to ask them first. You can't force us, even if it is Akito's orders."

The whole room suddenly fell silent.

"A..kito?" Kyo whispered, and he opened his mouth to speak some more, but Yuki raised a hand and stopped him. "Listen first, speak later." Yuki said shortly.

"Hey, how come _you're_ here so early?"

"Shut up, baka neko."

"Why you!"

"I don't mind," continued Shigure, his eyes fixed on the telephone cord he kept on fiddling with, "But that doesn't mean Yuki, Tohru and Kyo would mind. Yes, I do think you should ask them yourself." he nodded vigorously as if agreeing on something, then handed the phone to Kyo, who stared at the phone dumbfoundedly.

"Huh? Wha - ?"

"You first, Kyo-kun." said Shigure, smiling. Kyo gazed at the phone skeptically before taking it and pressed it against his ear, "H-hello?"

"Kyo?" a voice cracked from the other end of the line. It was Hatori's, no doubt, and he too, sounded anxious. Kyo edged away from the others and settled in the corner of the room, not wanting anyone to listen. "There is something I need to ask you," continued Hatori.

"What is it?" questioned Kyo.

"What do you think of staying in the main Sohma house, for one night?"

Kyo couldn't believe his ears. He thought it might be deceiving him. "What!?" he exclaimed, "C-can you repeat that? I think I heard you wrong."

"You didn't." said Hatori, "It is Akito's wish to have you stay here for one night. I'm supposed to force you here, but Shigure there wants me to ask you first. It doesn't matter anyway, you'll have to agree on this in the end."

"Have to? Isn't that a bit strong?"

"Not according to Akito." replied Hatori flatly, "Besides, you won't come alone. Akito also invited Shigure, Yuki, and Honda-kun to --"

"Tohru? Tohru too!?" interjected Kyo loudly, and Tohru flinched at the mention of her name. "Wait. I'm.. truly _flattered_ that Akito finally invited me into that house, even if it is just for one night, but _Tohru_? I mean, do you really think it's safe to let her meet him? What does he want with her?"

Hatori sighed, "No, this is not about her." he replied, his tone getting wearier with every single breath, "Actually, I don't even know what he wants. I tried to ask him, but it was no use."

"But it _could_ be about her!"

"Yes, it could be." he said, "But I don't think it is."

"And why are you so sure about it?"

"Because.." Hatori broke off, a coughing noise was heard, "Because I think it's about you."

Kyo almost dropped the phone, "W-what!?"

"I think it's about you. Or Yuki. Or even Shigure. I think it's a Sohma matter, and he wants her to be there, to watch."

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To watch. To sit and watch… like last time? To turn into his hideous second form in front of Tohru was probably the most aggrieved moment he could endure. It had been his worst nightmare. He still hadn't quite forgiven Akito for ordering Kazuma, his trusted mentor and guardian, to forcely slip the beads off his hand and show Tohru the dark side of himself. He still couldn't forget the shocked expression on her face when she saw him turn into that.. _thing_. He wouldn't bear it if he were to repeat it all over again. He would most likely go mad.

Kyo felt highly uneasy. "I don't think I like the sound of it..."

"Neither do I."

"But.." he started, "I won't know his reasons unless I go there, would I?"

"No," uttered Hatori in a passive voice, "you won't."

"Then count me in." said Kyo, his face set in decisiveness.

Neither of them said anything for a while, and when Hatori finally spoke, it was in a low voice, "Good," he said, "you're settled then. I will pick all of you up myself. Shigure will tell you the time of my arrival. Now pass the phone to Honda-kun, I still need to speak to her and Yuki too."

"Right then," Kyo said as he walked back to group circling in the middle of the room, and stopped right in front of Tohru, "Just take it easy on her. If you ever dare say one word that could... oh, never mind. Here she is,"

He handed the phone to Tohru whose cheeks were faintly red, and stalked outside. A pair of grey eyes, unknown to him, silently followed his trail until he was out of sight.

**

Tohru watched her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her long hair. Kyo had mentioned her name on the phone, which wasn't unusual. He could have mentioned anybody's name but it was hers that came from his lips.

"Why me?" she asked the Tohru in the mirror, but mirror-Tohru just stared back at her. _You know why_, answered a voice in the back of her head. "Do I?" she asked again. But this time the voice gave no answer.

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If you ever dare say one word that could... oh, never mind. "Could what?" she asked again to the other Tohru, but again, it simply stared back at her. She knitted her brows in bafflement. Then again, it was stupid to ask your own reflection for answers.

She tucked her brush into her overnight bag and zipped the bag close, sighing. What was she trying to think? That he loved her? Tohru blushed at the thought. What is love anyway? Is it love when you like someone? Is it love when you care about someone? But that would mean loving Yuki-kun, Shigure-san, and the other Sohmas as well. And also Uo-chan, and Hana-chan.

True, that she loved them all. But it's not the same. Is it?

"How do I know that?" she asked, more to herself than to her silent reflection. The way she loved Kyo was different to the way she loved everybody else. It made her heart skip a beat everytime he mentioned her name, it made her face light up everytime he laughed at her stupid behaviours, it made her want to stroke his hair everytime he stroked hers, and it made her want to...

Tohru blushed at her own thoughts.

It _is_ different, she realised. Tohru cared for a lot of people, and loved each of them like a close family. But this kind of 'love' was new to her, this type of love sent throbbings to her chest, and pinky shades to her cheeks. And as she compared her feelings for Kyo with the others, Tohru realised that even though she loved everyone all the same, her heart does not skip a beat every time she talked to Shigure-san or Momiji-kun or Hatsuharu-san or Hatori-san or Yuki...

Her mind stopped at the latter name. That's not true, she thought. Her heart _does_ contract slightly everytime Yuki comes into her sight. Her face _does_ light up everytime he smiled at her, and the way he ran his fingers through her hair _does_ make her want to do the same to him. She compared her feelings again for both Yuki and Kyo, and realised that they were both very.. similar.

"But!" Tohru exclaimed suddenly, leaning closer to the mirror's surface. "But that means... that means..."

"Tohru-kun!" called Shigure's voice from downstairs, "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh... yes, Shigure-san! Just-- just a minute please!" she called back. She got to her feet and hauled her bag with one hand. As she slid the door open, her mind continued where her voice left off.

__

If this feeling is love, she thought, _and I feel love for Kyo, does that mean..._

"Are you feeling alright, Honda-san?" a voice interrupted her reverie, and Tohru jumped slightly. She faced the speaker, and her voice came out as a squeak. "Y-Yuki-kun!?"

Yuki was looking anxiously at her. "Please, watch where you're going. You're just inches away from crashing into that wall."

Tohru turned back, and found her nose touching the wall. "Aah!" She jumped a few steps backwards. "I-I'm sorry.. I was thinking about something and.. uhm.."

"You must've been working too hard to lose track like that, Honda-san. Let me carry your bag for you."

"N-no! I can handle it, really! I might not look strong, but I really am! Not as strong as Yuki-kun or Kyo-kun, of course, but, erh.. as a woman, I'm strong enough to carry my bag!"

Yuki laughed out loud, making Tohru think how pretty his smiling face is. She blushed and turned for the stairs, but a hand on her arm stopped her from going any further.

"Let me carry your bag for you." Yuki repeated, his eyes boring in to hers. "Please, I insist."

He was still smiling politely. His hand was still on her arm. Her heart was still beating oh-so-rapidly..

Tohru nodded in defeat, letting him release her bag from her grip and take it in his own. He was so kind. Yuki was so kind. "Yuki-kun.. thank you. Thank you so much."

"It's my pleasure, Honda-san."

Tohru followed Yuki downstairs, admiring him secretly from behind, and then her mind drifted back to her previous thinking. _Does this feeling, this odd beating in my heart, means that.. that I feel love for Yuki too?_

**

It was almost high noon when Yuki, Kyo, Tohru and Shigure arrived at the Main House. Hatori had come to pick them up an hour before, and each of them were looking quite nervous about the visit, all except Shigure who remained hilariously calm.

"Enjoying the trip, kids?" he said cheerfully, and Kyo managed to scowl at him. Kids, he thought, is never a term for a seventeen-year-old like him. He flung his bagpack over his shoulder and sullenly followed Shigure and Hatori inside with Yuki and Tohru by his side.

Tohru gazed at the insides of the house in awe, "Wow, this house is truly beautiful! I've been here a couple of times but I've never been to _this_ part of the house!" She was quite right about that, Kyo realised, as the house was vast and grand like an ancient traditional palace. The gardens itself were like reality pop-ups from a Japanese fairy tale book, exquisitely antique, let alone its rooms which were large and majestic...

__

Majestic..

"Huh?" Kyo stopped.

A sudden familiar feeling swept right through him as he passed a closed room to his right. He stepped closer and observed the closed door of it. Glancing quickly at the group right ahead of him, Kyo realised they didn't look like planning on waiting for him to catch up, but yet, the room was strangely intriguing, and terrifying at the same time. Intriguing, because he felt something personal lost within the depths of this room, and terrifying, for the exact same reason. He shivered.

The room seemed to be abandoned, judging by the aged colour of the sliding door and cobwebs dangling untidyly from above. The door looked like it wouldn't slide open even if he tried. Kyo had once heard of déjà vu, which was probably the sense of familiarity of having done the same thing or been to the same place before, when you really haven't. And that is probably what he is sensing right now.

Kyo held out his hand and touched the door, his fingers streaking across it like searing upon a web until it touched the handle. He pushed hard to slide it open -- the door rattled -- but it didn't even budge a crack. He groaned impatiently, glared at it, and pressed down the urge to karate-kick it open.

But touching the door, however, made the awareness of being there before even stronger. It's like opening the window of a place he's never been to, and now it's wide open and he could see everything inside. He stared at his hand. The feeling rose through his fingers as his mind agreed, that he had once opened the exact same door, walked in the exact same room, and held the exact same --

"Kyo, you _baka neko_!!"

Kyo snapped back to his senses and slowly wheeled around to his caller. He scowled, seeing that it was the last person in the world he ever wanted to see. "What do you want, kuso nezumi?"

Yuki looked irritated, "What do _I_ want?" he said calmly, "We thought you got lost you big dummy, and they sent _me_ to find out where you wandered off."

"Lost?" repeated Kyo, his tone unamused. "And you came here especially for me? I'm touched."

"Shut up, Kyo." and he turned with a gesture that suggested Kyo to follow him if he didn't want to get lost.

As he trailed after Yuki, Kyo glanced back at the door of the unknown room, his eyes trying to pry the mystery within. "Yuki," he called catching up with Yuki's fast steps, and Yuki turned around with a frown. "You've lived here before, haven't you?"

"Not in this exact house, if that's what you mean." he snapped, and his eyes suddenly darkened in a way Kyo had not seen before. "But yes, I've been here a few unfortunate times.."

Kyo jerked his head to the door behind him, "Do you know what's in that room, then?"

"It's Akito's personal attic." answered Yuki without looking back, "He stores all his unwanted stuff and several vintages left from the last Sohma ancestors inside that room, so they say. But I've never seen it open. Why?"

"It needs cleaning! People here hasn't done a good job of sterilizing this place. Look at the shocking cobwebs --"

"Shut up, Kyo."

"Hey!" exclaimed Kyo, "Don't tell me to shut up!"

"Then quit babbling." Yuki said sweetly.

"I'm _not_ babbling," Kyo sulked, hands jammed in his pockets, dragging his feet as he walked. He reminded Yuki of the small little boy who hated him years ago after hearing of an old fable of how the rat shrewdly tricked the cat, the boy who is always challenging him into fights and then lose with dignity, several times even without. Yuki had hated him too then, maybe out of childish grudge, he didn't know. But that hatred without a cause lasted long, even until now.

Yuki glared at Kyo and punched his arm, hard, just for good measure, "_That_ was for making me search for you, you irritating _bastard_. Try picking a nicer place to get lost next time, will you?"

Kyo looked at him in surprise as he rubbed his sore arm, "All of a sudden? Oh, _very_ mature, Yuki!!"

"So what?" Yuki had his arms crossed over his chest and was glaring into space. He knew he was being childish, but didn't feel able to do anything about it. He was mad at Kyo for everything like he had always been. Moreover when he heard Kyo accepted the offer to stay in the house he had always wanted to avoid.

"Just what did Hatori say to get you here?" Yuki blurted out.

"Hatori? He didn't say anything," replied Kyo nonchalantly.

Yuki ignored him and continued, "I heard you say Tohru's name when you were on the phone. Was it something about her?"

Actually it's yes and no, Kyo's mind said, but hesitated in saying it aloud. It wasn't the kind of information worth passing to someone else, especially when that someone else is no other than arch-rival Sohma Yuki. Nonetheless, Hatori's voice rang once more in his head, _I think it's about you. Or Yuki. Or even Shigure. I think it's a Sohma matter and he wants Tohru to be there, to watch._

"Oh, that." Kyo muttered airily, crossing his arms over his head, "It was nothing."

A short silence. "I don't believe you,"

"You never had anyway," said Kyo, looking at Yuki. "why start now?"

Yuki narrowed his eyes, "You're not telling me something."

"What do you think he said to me, dammit!? 'Well, Kyo, if you go, you'll get this really cool piece of log to bang Yuki's head with.' Honestly, I wish he'd say that instead--"

"Then why the hell did you agree on this!?" Yuki suddenly exploded, he stood still, fists clenched on each side, "Are you so blind to see how much Akito hates you? He hates you, okay? He always did! This whole plan of inviting us all together rings 'suspicious, suspicious' very clearly, but you're completely ignoring it!! Because of you, I am stuck in this house! Because you agreed, I had to play along! This is all your fault!!"

Astounded, Kyo stared at Yuki. His jaws were set, his shoulders rigid. The most he had seen Yuki angry was as much as a mere sneer and a couple of kicks and punches, but this was beyond that. "What do _you_ know?" Kyo threw back, feeling sudden anger rising in him. "I agreed because I wanted to, okay? You think you know everything? What did you _think_ you utterly stupid prat? Is it so wrong to want to be in this house, even for one night?"

"This place is hell, Kyo." Yuki hissed, "You don't want to be here-"

"Well maybe I do!" Kyo cut in, his eyes brilliant with anger, "I wanted to and I'm here. So _there_."

"You know what I think?" Yuki burst out furiously, "I think you're just jealous."

Kyo went white, "What?"

"That's it. Jealous. And you're hacked off because I'm in here and you're out there. It has always been like that hasn't it? You wanted to be in so badly but you can't, because you're the outsider _cat_!" he said angrily, every word he said consumed in anger. "And guess what's more? I'd be happy to trade places with you, then you'd feel the same misery I did. Why? Because I. Want. _Out_."

Several moments of silence passed after Yuki's speech. Kyo stared at Yuki blankly, and Yuki just looked at his feet, as if ashamed of the words that had just issued from his lips. "This... is pointless conversation!" said Kyo, breaking the silence between, he walked in front of him. "I'm going to go to - to - where are we going anyway? You're supposed to be the guide."

Yuki furrowed his brows and said through gritted teeth, "I wasn't finished."

"What? You want to waste your energy criticizing me? Tell me the same old story of how much you hated me? You're so boring, Yuki!"

A vein bulged on Yuki's temples, "You know what? I'm not going to pick fights inside somebody else's house. You're just not worth noticing, Kyo."

"Then _don't_!"

"Fine."

"Fine!"

Neither said anything else after that. Marching side by side, they were furiously silent and simply refused to even look at each other's face.

"In here, _baka neko_." instructed Yuki, opening the door to a room.

"I knew that, _kuso nezumi_." flailed Kyo.

"You did not."

"Did too!"

"Boys, boys." said Shigure, "Be quiet, Akito's coming in a moment."

Kyo sat down, to his disgust, on the cushion beside Yuki. Seeing it was the only spot available, he couldn't argue much with the seating arrangements. He looked down at the tea mug in front of him, then at the person sitting across him -- which was no other than Tohru. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Ow!" Kyo exclaimed softly as he felt a painful pinch from his leg.

"Keep your face straight you stupid idiot." hissed Yuki without looking at him.

Kyo didn't bother to throw his words back at him. As someone entered the room, he felt the atmosphere around him tense for no specific reason. He cautiously raised his head and saw Akito, standing behind Tohru, looking straight at him.

He looked entirely the same since the last time Kyo saw him. Still wrapped in his expensive kimonos, still standing arrogantly, still surrounded by the usual sinister-like aura he carried, and his eyes, they were still filled with loathing, made especially for him.

__

Are you so blind to see how much Akito hates you?

Yuki was right about that one, thought Kyo. He does hate me. He never did stop hating me. Then why? Why did he invite me here?

Akito lifted his head loftily, and strutted off to sit on his own cushion, placed elegantly in the middle of the room. He settled down and raised his mug almost immeadiately, "Drink."

Kyo took his mug and drank his tea unanimously to everybody else. While everybody simply too a sweet sip, he drained his mug at once. His hand trembled as he retrieved his mug to the floor. He looked confusedly at his palm and found that he couldn't stop trembling.

Am I feeling sick? Kyo thought bewilderedly. No, not right now...

He shook his head frantically, and then looked at Tohru, who was looking at him in a strange way. "No..." he mumbled, and suddenly the room curled itself in, rushing towards him like a wave. Blackness hit him, and he drowned into it.

***

Darkness.

Pure darkness binded him. Like being sucked into a black hole, he could not see, nor could he feel. But voices echoed, and it rose like a fever. Like ripples upon water, faint at first, then louder...

__

'The box, Kyo'

'Find the box!'

'Open it!'

'No, don't open it! Don't find it.'

'Go home, cat. You don't belong here...'

"Stop this," Kyo heard his voice say. His head felt dizzy. How could a dream feel so real? He reached out his hand to grab - to grab - something. Anything_. But all he could get hold of was air. Black, dark air._

'Find it, Kyo - it's in that room!'

'No, just get away from here!!!'

'Release the curse within it...'

'Find it Kyo, and you could change your life.'

"Where are you!?" Kyo yelled into nothingness, thrusting his fists about in mid-air, "Where are you, you cowards!!! Show yourself!"

'You can never find us... but you can find the box.'

'Feel it in this house-'

'It's calling you...'

'No! Open it, and you will be cursed for the second time!'

Kyo covered his ears with both hands, "No-- stop it!" he cried, but the disembodied voices still echoed inside his head, "STOP THIS!!"

'It's near you, Kyo...'

'The box, Kyo. Find the box, FIND IT NOW!!!!'

A flash of light came, and Kyo saw a familiar boy, sitting bolt upright. He had orange hair, red eyes, and the same black and white beads that he wore. Only now, they were red with blood.

"Kyo! _Kyo_! Wake up!"

Someone had him by the shoulder and was shaking him. Kyo twisted around and distinctively heard somebody screaming. There were hands tugging his arms and he squirmed to pull away from it. A hand slapped his face, and Kyo opened his eyes, and blinked.

Suddenly, the screamings disappeared and overwhelming silence filled its space. That was me screaming, Kyo realised. That was me.

"What happened? Are you okay?" asked Tohru, her eyes filled with concern. She was bending over him, a hand over his chest and the other currently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I-I..."

"You were screaming," said Yuki's voice, and Kyo almost strained his neck to see Yuki looking down at him. Yuki tugged Kyo's wrist and slid the black and white beads, just slightly, revealing a red mark beneath it. "Hey, how did you--"

This time Hatori tugged it and studied the red mark on Kyo's skin. Kyo could feel it scorching, like being burnt. "First degree burn, fresh." muttered Hatori, and he let go of him. As Kyo sat up, Hatori got to his feet, "I don't know how you got those burns, but follow me to my office. You need treatment--"

"No." said Kyo, and everybody stared at him. "There's something I need to find out first..."

"But, Kyo--" started Shigure but Kyo silenced him with a look. He turned around and saw that Akito was looking victoriously at him, but maybe that was just his imagination. Without pausing to let anyone else speak, Kyo stood up and ran for the door.

"Kyo-kun!!" he heard Tohru shout as he slipped out of the room, but he didn't stop to turn. He tore blindly across the house, without the slightest idea where he is going, though strangely knowing _exactly_ where he is heading.

To the box.

It was calling him, like the voices said in his dream, bidding him to come and find it, then open it with his own hands.

Kyo suddenly stumbled forwards and fell down with a crash. He struggled to stand up, and when he did, he realised he was standing in front of the attic. Slowly, he walked towards it and grabbed the edge of the door -- and it easily slid open.

Only one thing caught his attention and the light entered inside, revealing a room filled with priceless possessions. Neatly on top of an old, white tablecloth was a wooden box. It was not big, nor is it small, just slightly bigger than his hand. The box was ordinary, without any fancy carvings whatsoever. But as Kyo squinted his eyes, he just could make out a group of words carved roughly on its side:

__

SOHMA - 1843

******


	3. An Outsider's Night

****

Disclaimer : I own nix, nought, nothing, for this story is based on the characters and situations of _Fruits Basket_ created and owned by Takaya Natsuki.

******  
**_Chapter 2. An Outsider's Night_**

  
Neatly on top of an old, white tablecloth was a wooden box. It was not big, nor was it small, just slightly bigger than his own hand. But as Kyo squinted his eyes, he could just make out a group of words engraved roughly on its side:

__

SOHMA - 1843

Kyo felt his lips curl into a small smile; a smile that indicated victory and slight doubt. "Gotcha." he whispered, to nobody in particular. He approached the box with much vehemence, slowly picked it up, and blew the dust off its surface, throwing him into a sudden coughing fit.

Kyo could see the box much clearly now under the little sunlight that discreetly entered the crammed attic. It was very dusty and very old, and he rubbed the inside of his palm across the surfaces to clean it up a bit. He brought it up closer to his face, squinted his eyes and observed it in a closer range:

This wooden box, was an ordinary rectangular-shaped one with no fancy carvings whatsoever and tied crosswise around it by several bitten-looking strings -- clearly the opposite of what Kyo had imagined it to be. It was not the kind that makes you turn around for a second look, nor was it the kind that would sell for a high price if it were placed in an auction. In fact, it was the kind you would most likely throw away for looking too damn dull. It certainly does _not_ look like a priceless antique that should be kept in secrecy inside a closed attic, and it made Kyo wonder why, a man full of pride and riches like Akito, would even think of keeping such a plain-looking object.

Its simplicity made Kyo question himself; is this truly the box he has been looking for? Could the real box be hidden someplace else? Could this be one of Akito's many pitfalls to lure him in, just like what Yuki was suspicious of? Or.. or had he just been stupid enough to believe some outrageously far-fetched dream?

Kyo paused.

Was it really the dream he should be dubious of? It always gave him a feeling of strange unease. Although where this unease originated, he couldn't have said. And something about the box, too, troubled him, niggling at the back of his mind, something, he knew, that would not let him rest until he had sorted it out.

__

That's why you want it

Oh.. really?

__

You wanted it the moment you saw it, touched it. You know what it is; your past, present, future. You can't walk away from it.

That's really quite true, thought Kyo. "I don't think I'm wrong.." He took a deep breath and raised his shirt to sneak the box under it and --

"My, my. Seems like I forgot to bell a certain kitty." said a low, cool voice from the doorway.

Kyo spun around in a panic blur. It was Akito, standing in the doorway and leaning against the jamb in a relaxed manner. In the dim light he could not clearly see his face, but he realized that he was frowning. "Stealing, are you?"

"It's not what it seems," Kyo said quickly, his eyes wide with astonishment. But to his horror, he realized Akito _was_ right. He really _was_ about to steal the box. He, himself, couldn't understand what possesed him to do that. "I-I can explain, Akito."

"Yes, please do." Akito was examining his fingernails with a bored sort of expression.

Kyo darted his eyes around the room, his mind searching for words. "Well, I - I was -"

"Oh, _Kyo_. Why?" cut in Akito with a breath of exasperation, "Why did you even think of stealing from me? I would have given it to you if you merely asked."

"You would? But I wasn't -"

"I have been nothing but nice to you, Kyo." continued Akito, his voice like poisoned honey. "I welcomed you into my house when everyone shunned you, I let you drink my tea when others would throw it at you, yet you still have the audacity to break into one of my private rooms like this. Kyo, how could you?"

"I did _not_ break in! The door was unlocked!"

Akito shook his head, "Kyo-kun, Kyo-kun. Sometimes I feel sorry for you. You are too stupid for your own benefits. Where were you when they were handing out brains? Did you get stuck in the crowd for having a little too much brawn?" he chuckled dryly at his own remark, "Even with that much brawn you're still unable to beat Yuki. Look at yourself, letting your strength go to waste like that. You're a failure and a pathetic one at that. You're a pathetic, box-stealing failure. You're a pitiful monster and you know it."

At this point, Kyo seriously felt like saying something rude and do something disrespectful. He clenched his fists and tried to focus on his feet with trapped fury. Yet despite his anger, even he could not go against Akito's words. Akito had some kind of unseen force over him and the others in the jyuunishi, and that was the plain truth, wether Kyo liked it or not. They were his puppets, and as long as his unbreakable chains still binded them, they could never get away from him. If they defied him, it would be like starting a war between four walls. It would be a war against themselves, and they would lose.

Kyo dropped the box in his hands and it fell onto the floor with a loud thud. Then he said this very slowly, as if the words were being dragged out of his mouth, "Listen, I wasn't even going to take it. It's worthlessly empty so it's no use for me, or for anybody else I know. Forgive me for barging in without your permission, Akito-_san_. You'll never see me in here again, ever. I can promise you that."

He stalked towards the door, past Akito, and onto the porch. He was in the middle of turning around the first corner when he heard Akito's voice again, calling his name.

"Oh, but Kyo," His voice was gentle, but loudly enough for Kyo to hear him. "What makes you think the box is empty?"

Kyo's shoulder tensed at the words and he stopped, "What?"

"What did you feel when you held it in your hand, Kyo? Was it light? Or was it heavy? Do you not feel anything inside it? You might think it is empty, but you don't know that for sure do you? Not unless you open it. You need to open it, before it's too late for you. You know that, don't you? It's been in your nightmares - the ones you can't even remember. You wanted it the moment you saw it, touched it.. it is what you are."

He turned and stared at him. Suddenly, everything was like a jigsaw puzzle that came into place, piece by piece. "You _know_," he grounded out. "You _know_ something. What do you know about this? What do you want with me?"

"With you? No, Kyo. Not with you. Not everything is about you, the monster. You just happened to be the one who started it."

Kyo looked horrified. "I started _what_?"

Akito gave out a delighted laugh. "You really want to know? I'm sorry." he said brightly, "That's highly confidential."

"Highly confidential? What do you _mean_ highly confidential?" Kyo demanded. His face had turned into the colour of angry red and it was obvious that he was struggling hard to restrain himself from lunging at Akito. "Stop tempting me with your empty lies! If you know something then why don't you bloody tell me!? Tell me!"

The smile on Akito's face melted away. "How dare you," he said, his eyes flashing angrily and his voice, they were shrill with tension. "How _dare_ you! You shouldn't speak to me in that manner. You must be raving mad to do so!"

"God damn it, I am not! I'm just asking for some bloody answers and you're not giving me a hint of it!"

Without any change in his expression, Akito took a few steps towards Kyo, and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of skin whipping on skin pitched loudly in the still atmosphere. "You force me to hurt you." he hissed.

Kyo put his hand on his reddened cheek, "Ouch." he said tonelessly.

Akito ignored him and looked at his hand as if it had betrayed him. "Tch. How disgusting." he said, wiping it against his robes. He raised his head and glared at Kyo. "I swear I'll never touch you again."

Kyo parted his lips to speak something back, then sounds of sudden footsteps came from the hall, and they both stopped and turned to stare. Hatori came around the corner, his face flushed from the cold, and his eyes looked inexpicably tired. But they sparked off a sudden alertness when he saw Kyo and Akito in front of him, glaring at each other.

"Akito?" Hatori's face was slightly confused, and his eyes darted to Kyo. "Kyo? Shigure's been looking for you. Why are you here with Akito? Is something wrong?"

"Yes Hatori, something _is_ wrong." Akito said coldly, before Kyo had the chance to open his mouth. "Something is wrong with the monster here, and I think he should have a taste of his future life. Yes, yes. Since he seems to like it so much, he can spend the night in this attic by himself. It will be locked, of course, from the outside. And don't bother to bring along his bag and belongings in here, because he won't be needing it. Throw it away, or burn it. It doesn't matter."

"Hey!" exclaimed Kyo, "You can't just - "

"Be quiet, you foul creature." Akito spat savagely.

Hatori had remained still, silent and unmoving. His eyes went from Akito to Kyo, and back again. "And his room?" he flatly asked, "I've already prepared him a room to stay in alongside with Shigure's and -"

"Then he can forget about that room." snapped Akito, "No room of mine is going to be inhabited by this monster. I say he stays here for the night, and what I say, goes. Do you understand, Hatori?"

A prolonged silence passed before Hatori nodded wearily, "Very well, Akito. I understand."

"Good." he turned and walked away from them, turned a corner and out of sight.

Once Akito was gone, Hatori immediately rushed to Kyo's side. "Let me see your wrist, I want to know how bad your burns are." he said stiffly. Although still dazed and confused - and almost forgetting the outcome of his previous dream that had marked his arm - Kyo held out his hand and let Hatori examine the skin under his beads. It prickled painfully and Hatori frowned as he took a closer look to it. "First-degree burn."

"I know," said Kyo irritably, "You told me."

"And I know did, but how did you get this? It goes all the way around your wrist. It's almost impossible to - "

"Hatori," Kyo said in a voice that forced the other man to look at him sharply, "You're really going to lock me inside that room, aren't you?"

Hatori paled and avoided his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was swift. "This is something I have to do."

"I know why you do." Kyo said quietly, and Hatori let go of his hand, looking taken aback. "I mean, y-you can't help being like this. Akito is.. God of the jyuunishi. You don't rebel against your God. Nobody does, unless you want to fall from grace and be the devil's advocate. It's sinful and it's unforgivable. Even I, the outcast of the jyuunishi, am driven to feel that way."

"Kyo, even though you're a jyuunishi outcast, you are luckier. Akito will never affect you the way he affects the other jyuunishi. As much as he'd want to tear you apart, he'll always tear you less. I understand you've always wanted to be in the inner circle, but-"

"Don't," Kyo snapped. "Whatever you were going to say, don't say it." He put his hand on the door, pushed it aside, and stepped inside. He did not look back. "I'm very sorry, Kyo." Hatori said from behind. He really did sound sorry.

"Yeah, whatever."

And as the door closed behind him, Kyo heard it lock.

**

The night seemed so long. Kyo stretched his hands and feet on the floor of the attic and yawned. Doing nothing for hours made him feel more tired than ever before. The attic was cramped and small and smelly and it was much much more than 'just a little dusty', so it may not be the best place to sleep in, although he had undoubtedly tried. He had tossed and turned and even curled up like a cat, yet peaceful sleep did not come to him.

Perhaps it was because of his habit to sleep in the dark, and the room was not entirely dark - the bright garden lights from outside had lit the room through the thin layer of the sliding door with a faint bluish glow, like a child's night light, only brighter. It wasn't a blinding light, but bright enough for Kyo to see some of the Sohma artifacts that hid in the corners of the room. He could even see a huge worn-out hole in the edge of the sliding door that he never really noticed before. So he huddled in the farthest end of the room, where the light could not touch him.

Kyo sat upright with his knees up. He was thinking about how hungry he was right now, and knowing Akito, he would prepare the most extravagant dishes one could ever imagine. He had never been to any of his dinners, but he's heard stories of them. From Shigure, Momiji, the other jyuunishi… and his mother of course.

He rubbed the back of his hands across his tired eyes and closed them. Thinking about his mother pained him in a way he could not explain. It was different from other sorts of pains. He shut his eyes harder, as if trying to squeeze the pain out as he waited for himself to fall asleep..

__

Crack

Kyo snapped his eyes open. He rolled over and crouched near the door, looking very alert despite his current weariness. Then he heard it again, a tiny _crack_ from just outside the door. Someone was obviously outside. Maybe Yuki, Kyo thought. That kuso nezumi, sneaking for a fight and thinking I'm asleep! "Who's there?" he called out.

No answer came.

No _verbal_ answer, that is. But at his call, the garden lights reflected a figure - female - moving in front of the sliding door like a shadow puppet and into his view. At first, Kyo thought the lights were playing tricks on him. But he could see the familiar shape of her dimly through the thin layer; her narrow and slender frame, her arm holding something basket-shaped, her long legs kneeling down before him. He recognized each and every part of her.

But she couldn't be here, thought Kyo. It couldn't be her. She couldn't possibly. If Akito ever saw her here…

"Who's there?" he called out again.

"It's me, Tohru." said the sillouhette, confirming Kyo's assumption, and he groaned in response. "I'm sorry Kyo-kun.. did I wake you up?"

"I wasn't even sleeping," Kyo answered automatically, "Although I need it - but that's not the point! What the hell are you doing here? Don't tell me you sneaked out of your room just to check on me!"

"Actually. I did."

"And that's stupid!" snapped Kyo ferociously, knowing he was being hysterical but didn't feel able to stop. "What if somebody sees you? What if _Akito_ sees you!?"

"I do hope nobody does. I'm so worried, Kyo-kun. I really wanted to keep you company, and I.. I couldn't let you stay here all alone."

Kyo had nothing to say to that. "Fine," he muttered, suddenly feeling grateful that the door was there to block him from Tohru's view so she couldn't see him blush. "Do whatever you want. But don't blame me when someone sees you!"

"Oh, I won't! Thank you for letting me stay! And erh, you don't need to tell me what happened if you don't want to because Hatori-san told us everything."

He snorted. "What's his side of the story?"

"Well, he didn't give us the whole details, but he basically told us that you made Akito-san mad, and he was forced to lock you up in this room as your punishment. Yuki-kun thinks Kyo-kun must've done something really bad because Akito-san looked quite intense, up until dinner."

"You're making it sound as if I'm the one to blame!" said Kyo angrily.

Tohru's shadow cowered slightly. "Oh! I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them.

Kyo cursed himself for sounding so harsh, and when he spoke again, his voice softened. "No, don't be sorry." he said, "It was my fault from the beginning. I was the one who trespassed his stupid attic. I deserved that slap."

Tohru was silent for a while, as if shocked. It almost took a whole minute to snap her out of her trance. "Akito-san.. slapped you?" she finally said, "Kyo-kun, are you hurt?"

"Of course not! What were you thinking?"

She exhaled, as if letting out the breath she had been holding earlier. "Oh, thank goodness. That's very good to hear. How are you feeling?"

Kyo thought for a while. "Hungry."

"Oh? Oh yes, of course, I _did_ bring some food here with me.."

"You did?" Kyo crawled closer to the door. It turned out that the basket she was carrying really was a picnic basket, and it was so big he reckoned it must be full of her homemade food. He watched her drag it closer to her and open the lid. "Well, at least something smells good."

"Really? I actually thought that Kyo-kun would be hungry, see, for not having to eat anything since morning.."

"Yeah, I'm famished. What did you bring?"

"Err.. I have some tea, sandwiches, dango, onigiri, apples, dry biscuits.."

Kyo made a face. "I said I was hungry, not pregnant!"

Tohru burst out laughing, "I'm so relieved, Kyo-kun, if you can make jokes then it means that you're all right."

"I was not making jokes and I'm not all right. I'm just around the edge of starving to death for being locked up without food!"

Her hand shot up to her face. "_Yes_. You _are_ locked up." she said, as if she had just realized it. "And - and - oh my, how am I supposed to give you the food? Oh, how clumsy of me! How could I not think of that? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tempt you with empty hopes, it was stupid of me to not think of it before. I can't break the door down - I'm not that strong and Akito-san would surely get mad at me."

"Yes, he would. Which explains why I haven't tried to get out yet. But don't worry. We'll think of something," assured Kyo, scanning the room with his eyes. He noticed something. "Oh hey, look over on your right. There's a small crack near the edge of the door. Hand me an onigiri through that hole. Maybe if I eat enough of them I won't mind being shut up in this stinky room so much."

Tohru smiled. Kyo could actually _hear_ her smiling. "Okay!" she said, and did what she was told.

**

Akito was eavesdropping.

Which is quite strange, because he was never much of a listener. He had always been the one who talked while his people listened around him. Or when he really had to eavesdrop, he would make someone else do that for him, but he never does it himself. This listening, eavesdropping job was never the best career for him, yet he is doing it now.

Perhaps it was because he knew this would happen: the monster and Honda Tohru.

He had always thought that Honda Tohru had some kind of bizarre love triangle between Yuki and the monster, although it was an innocent one. But he never thought she would choose the monster over the rat. She must be mad to do so, or her taste in men are just crude. Or maybe it was merely pity. Yes, that must be it. Pity. Everyone pities the cat. Even he, the Clan Head, comes to pity that monster once in a while. Because he was pitiful.

Akito watched Honda Tohru's hand shoot up to her face, as if she had just realized something. "Oh my," she was saying, "How am I supposed to give you the food? Oh, how clumsy of me!"

And you are, thought Akito coldly. You are clumsy and beyond that. You are imbecilic and you are selfish.

He watched more of her as she smiled at the sliding door and held her hands together as if praying. "Do you like it?" he heard her ask the cat hopefully.

"It's okay." the cat said, and Honda Tohru sighed with relief.

Akito grimaced at the scene. They were dull. Her gestures were dull, and the sight of her talking to his monster like that made him feel sick inside. It all appeared to him as irreverent faults, and there were too much of these faults. Too much of them. He didn't know wether he could stand seeing another minute of her sickly kindness. It's all fake, he thought angrily. She's fake. How dare she come to my family and give them empty hopes. How dare she think that she can lift the family curse. She is fake, she is full of lies.

Nausea rose up in the back of Akito's throat. He could not take it anymore.

"_You_," he bellowed at Tohru, marching out from behind the wall that had concealed him. "Step away from there, right _now_!"

Everything happened so very fast after that. Tohru's eyes went radically wide in terror at the sight of Akito and he pushed her away so violently that her frail body crashed onto the thin paper screen door, smashing it in an instant. The hole that he made revealed a stricken-looking Kyo from behind the unruly mess who kneeled down at once and cradled Tohru by her head.

"Oy.." Kyo said, his voice cracking fearfully. "Tohru?"

"I'm okay." said Tohru, and she sat up - she tried to, but she winced when she did. "I'm okay." she said again, although this time it was more to herself, as if trying to convince herself.

Kyo raised his head and glared at the man in front of him. "Akito!"

Akito felt strangely grateful towards Kyo who kept his clenched fists at his side, and his eyes on him. He knew the cat wasn't planning on doing a thing. He was far too cowardly for that. "Did I hurt your girl, Kyo?"

"I think 'hurt' is underrated." he said through his teeth.

"No, it is not. Look at her," Akito gestured a hand in her direction. "She's already trying to stand up. See? She's pretending to be strong. Pretending, like she always does. Don't you see how fake she is?"

Kyo glanced back to Tohru to see that Akito was right. Tohru was half-standing already, her right hand holding her neck and her other hand against a wall, supporting her weight. "Hey, don't force yourself!" he said to the girl.

Akito gave out a quiet laugh. He was enjoying everything.

"You can't do this, Akito." said Kyo, his eyes not leaving Tohru. "She wasn't doing anything wrong! She was -"

Akito had decided that he was having no more of this little 'talks', so he grabbed Kyo by the ruff of his shirt and striked him squarely on the jaw.

"I'm not stupid, cat," he said with cold menace, now holding Kyo by his hair. "You think you can trick everyone by playing weak? You sly little cat with your sick angry eyes, what else dirty schemes do you have up your sleeves? Coming inside my house looking like you own it! Breaking into my room without permission! Tricking Honda Tohru into bringing you food!!"

"No, Akito-san! Kyo-kun didn't -"

"Silence!!" shouted Akito, then he turned back to Kyo. With his hand still clenched tight to his hair, Akito jerked him up roughly so they were at eye level. "If I had known she would bring you food from MY kitchen I'd have the chef _poison_ it!"

"But it's not -"

Akito shot her a look of purest hatred. "What did I _say _to you, stupid girl!" he said acidly.

Tohru looked as if she was going to burst into tears, but didn't. Akito was disappointed. He rather expected she did.

"Please, leave her alone.." came Kyo's choked voice from under Akito's grasp. He sounded so childish and so vulnerable, that Akito felt the need to let out a cruel snicker. "Please.. Akito.. she hasn't done anything. Please, leave her.."

"Oh, listen to yourself. You sound so weak, so pathetic. But you will not talk back to me, Kyo. You shouldn't. Or were you merely trying to show your mettle in front of your dearest Tohru-san? She may admire that. I don't. _You_ need punishment."

"No, I _don't_.." Kyo uttered abruptly, but his voice was weak.

Akito frowned at him, "With that attitude you will lose, Kyo. You wait and see. In the end, it is _I_ who will have the last laugh. In the end, _you'll_ be locked up for the rest of your lifetime. But don't worry, I will visit you. I will be your most constant visitor so that you will never be lonely. You may be a revolting monster, Kyo, but you're _my_ monster. Mine. And I care for what's mine."

"You say things like they're over," said Kyo heatedly, "Well it's not. It's not over. It's far from over! I still have time till graduation. I'll prove it to you! I'll beat that bastard Yuki with my own hands! I'll show you that I can win, over Yuki, and even over a person like you!"

"Try."

With full force, he slammed Kyo's head to the floor and the ground beneath him reverberated as if a land mine had gone off underneath it. He kicked him squarely in the ribs, and Tohru emitted a horrified cry, placing her hands on her pale face. Akito glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was shivering in fright, her face a white mask of astonishment, and her eyes, they were filled with regretable tears.

Akito smirked, feeling a bleak of triumph. He darted his eyes, from Kyo's bloodstained face, to Tohru's frightened one, and felt a sick joyfulness throbbing inside his chest.

It will start now, he thought delightedly. It will start _now_.

**

"Kyo-kun.."

"You noisy brat, look what you've done to him!"

"Akito-san, _please_ -"

__

It hurts.

Kyo clawed the solid material beneath his hand, and felt wood. The wood was damp, he thought, it smelled like something.. something familiar, but also unfamilliar. He had smelled that scent somewhere.. a horrible stench.. and overwhelming.. he remembered breathing too much of it.. too much of it. He sat up so fast his head spun. He put a hand on his face and felt something liquid running free from the tip of his head.

__

Blood.

This smell. So he had smelled blood. He was.. bleeding? He raised his head, wincing, and stared at the figure looking down at him. He had such dark eyes.. dark, tragic eyes that showed no trust for anyone.. Akito?

"Oh, oh my. My monster, what happened?" Akito said, and Kyo thought his voice seemed so liquid, as if he was listening from underwater. "Who did this to you? You are hurt and your face is bleeding, but I won't touch you now. You have such red eyes. Your blood matches perfectly with it."

Ah, yes.. he remembered Akito plunging his head onto the wooden floor. He tried to stand up, but his legs did not seem to obey him. He felt a raging hatred for himself for being so weak at critical times. This is why he wanted to be strong.. this is why he wanted to beat Yuki.. this is why he shouldn't come to Shigure's house in the first place..

Maybe Akito was right. He has wasted too much of his strength..

A loud sob snapped Kyo out of his trance. He squinted, and saw Tohru, on the floor and curling against the wall with her hands covering her ears. Akito was in front of her, shouting at her with words he could barely hear - the world seem to spin on him, and the voices spun around with him.

"… this is your _fault_! Remember that, it's _your_ fault! You can't lift the curse off us. You're _stupid_ to think that you can!"

"I-I'm sorry.. but please, Akito-san.. Kyo-kun needs help.."

__

Tohru.

"Don't," Kyo heard himself say, and Akito rounded on him, startled. "Don't say that to her.. don't do anything.."

"But Kyo, it is because of her you are like this." his voice suddenly seemed close-by, and Kyo realized that Akito was already standing at his side. "You are hurt and pained, you do not understand - ah, Hatori. You came just in time."

"Akito! Kyo!" Kyo flinched at the mention of his name. This was someone else's voice.. no, not Hatori.. Shigure.. he slowly turned away from Akito and saw three blurs standing in the dark. Hatori, Shigure, and..

__

Argh.. kuso nezumi.

Yuki was standing with a look of utmost horror on his pale face, which grew paler in a quick instant. Shigure.. Shigure ran past him, and held Akito back from lunging at Tohru.. but Hatori.. he was wearing an expression that meant entirely something else.. as if he was reminiscing something.. replaying something in his mind.. over and over.. and over.. and over..

"Kyo,"

Kyo blinked, and saw Hatori bending over him. "Yeah.. what?"

"Can you stand up?"

He nodded, "I'll try."

He felt Hatori hold him gently by his arm, "Lean on me if you want to," Hatori said, and Kyo did. After what seemed like hours of trying, Kyo finally stood up, though still wobbly on the knees. "Thanks," Kyo said.

Hatori nodded meekly, "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, sort of.."

"Now can you walk back to Shigure's house, Kyo?" asked Hatori, and Kyo's eyes widened.

"What!?" he shouted, and he jerked back from Hatori with an alarming strength, ripping his own shirt where Hatori had held him. "You're kicking me out!?"

Hatori looked amazed. "All of a sudden you can walk now?"

"You're _kicking me out_!?"

Now Hatori looked bewildered. "It's not what you think. See for yourself what Akito is like now, and your head - it's bleeding. Remember to cleanse your wound when you get home. But here, you're not safe. I knew something bad would happen, I couldn't have agreed on this in the first place if it wasn't Akito who asked me. Listen to me."

Kyo steadied himself, and stepped forward. "But, Hatori. I -"

"Go on now," Hatori cut in, his voice deep and rushed, as if desperate to end to conversation. "I'll come over in the morning to treat your wounds, but for now, you will go."

Kyo glanced uneasily at Tohru, and as if reading his mind, Hatori added, "Honda-kun will be fine. I will treat her myself. She will be safe here, but you won't. Go now."

Weakly, Kyo nodded. As Hatori drove him to the front gates, Kyo looked over his shoulder, trying to get a last glimpse of the house, his cousins and Tohru.

But his visions were blurred, and he could not see clearly. He saw a large, dark blob that looked like Shigure, holding a struggling Akito back, and another blob - Yuki, maybe - his hand on Tohru who was crying, trying to comfort her. He saw a glimpse of Hatori's anxious face, his hand on his shoulder, ushering him out, and then a distant echo of Akito's enigmatic voice: _See you at New Year's_, before the wide wooden gates closed entirely in his face.

**

Kyo did not know how long he had been walking, being silent and blind to everything else around him. When he finally raised his head, he was already standing in the front lawn of Shigure's house. He glanced up at the windows. It was dark and lonely, and no one was obviously inside. He took out the keys and unlocked the door, and went inside.

Blindly, Kyo stalked upstairs to his room, tossed his bag away and dropped himself on the tatami floor. His head didn't hurt that much now, although the bleeding didn't seem to stop. He was losing conciousness at each passing minute, and there was nothing he could do now but ponder on the horrible things that happened to him throughout the day.

He was kicked out. Being kicked out was on familiar grounds with him, as the outcast of the family. There were times when he was often led to the exit at family dinners or asked to leave from certain gatherings, but it was never quite so literal like this. And not only that he was kicked out, but he was kicked out in front of Tohru and Yuki. That rat boy would make a laughing stock out of him, he would never let him forget it. He might be laughing at him silently the whole time.

Very slowly, he rolled over to his uninjured side and suddenly stopped. He sat up quickly. He could not believe at what he just saw.

__

It can't be.

It was the box, still as ordinary as ever but thoroughly complete and perfect with the ancient engravement on its side. He remembered dropping it on the floor of the attic, and then kicking it away from sight when he was bored.

But he did not remember putting it in his room.

__

..you can't run away from it..

He reached out and touched the box's surface. It was dusty no more and amazingly clean, as if someone had cleaned it thoroughly with soap. He picked it up and read the carved alphabets.

"Sohma.. 1843." he voiced aloud. Kyo wondered, "What happened in 1843?"

__

.. it is what you are.

Then it happened so suddenly; Kyo felt a searing emotional pain that wasn't his own, surging along him like a sudden tidal wave, and closing his eyes to shut himself from it didn't work. The feeling was much worse than physical pain, and Kyo'd trade the pain engulfing him now anytime with the pain he received from Akito.

He hurt as though he felt betrayal, and it tore inside him knowing that he could never trust another man again. He hurt as though he saw his loved ones die, and he grieved inwardly knowing that he'd failed to protect them. Revenge filled him and he cursed those who let his loved ones die in pain. He will have his revenge. Eventually, he will.

But this is not my pain, Kyo realised. It was as if someone used his body like a medium and pained through him, sharing its every agonies and every drop of vengeance with him.

Suddenly the pain drifted away as quickly as it had come, and Kyo felt an eerie coldness closing around him like a dark shroud, and _something_ went out. Like another presence, basking inside him, resting peacefully in his wakefulness.

When he opened his eyes, the box was already open.

__

Time runs fast..

******

  
Thank you for reading! Yup, I revised the whole thing. Not much revision done really, but I added some parts and conversations that will be very important in future chapters. And what inspired me to suddenly revise this old fic? I finished the whole plot, of course! Yayness! ^^

Please, do tell me what you think of the changes. Review!

PS. Watch out for the next chappie - out some time this week! Cheerios. =X


	4. This Ruined Puzzle

****

Disclaimer : I own nix, nought, nothing, for this story is based on the characters and situations of _Fruits Basket_ created and owned by _Takaya Natsuk_. No money is being made and no trademark infringement is intended either.

******  
**_Chapter 3. This Ruined Puzzle_**

  
Kyo groggily opened his eyes the next day to find himself feeling feverish and light-headed, disconcerted from the shock of being thrashed and beaten from the previous day. He turned over and felt a wet towel slip off his forehead, which seared with an ungodly pain sort of pain, then squinted his eyes and saw a blur of gray, white and black in the corner that resolved itself and turned into Yuki. His rat cousin was sitting upright in the corner of the room with his arms hugging one knee, and his eyes on Kyo, looking as feminine as ever.

"Oh no, not you.." Kyo groaned, holding his painful head. "What're you looking at, sissy?"

Yuki looked at him oddly. "Look who fainted, sissy."

Kyo settled the wet towel back on his forehead, thinking. It was bizarre how he seriously did not remember falling asleep, or getting into bed last night. It was as if an odd blank replaced something in his memory. What _did_ happen to him after he got home from the Main House anyway? Did he somehow blacked out? Did he _faint_? Nah.

"What are you talking about? I did _not_ faint. Just tell me in less than thirty words why the hell you are here and leave."

"I'm supposed to take turns looking after you while Shigure works and Honda-san does her chores, you ungrateful fainting git." retorted Yuki, "We found you lying spread-eagled on the floor early this morning and thought you were dead. You didn't cleanse your injuries and there was blood everywhere. It was disgusting."

Kyo rolled his eyes, strangely finding that hard to believe. It sounded utterly illogical to him, but without any firm reason - it just did. "Don't make up stories, kuso nezumi!"

Yuki slammed down a bottle of medicine on the side of Kyo's matress, looking slightly ticked off. "Your medicine, Kyo. For your fever, not your brain. You are unbelievable, you know that? You really are. I don't know why I even bother the spending the past hour looking over your stupid sleeping face."

"And who decided your girly face should be the first thing I saw when I woke up? Just go to Hell, Yuki." Kyo added with a sharp flash of annoyance, "And take that damned medicine with you."

"I'll be glad to, but unfortunately, Hell's not where I'm heading." Yuki moved to stand up, and got to his feet. "I'm going to school. It's the last week before Christmas and I don't intend skiving a day. I'll be a Senior in a few months afterall. Unlike you, I take school seriously."

"Shut up! I _do_ take school seriously! You don't know anything, stupid.." growled Kyo. He felt his head spinning. He pulled his blanket up to his shoulders, feeling slightly ashamed of himself to look so weak and vulnerable in front of Yuki.

"My shift is over anyway," Yuki said, glancing at his watch. "It's Honda-san's turn now."

"Tohru's turn?" Kyo murmured, prodding himself on his elbows. "I'd've thought she's walking to school with you."

"No, she's not,–"

"What do you _mean_ she's not? Answer properly!"

"I would if you didn't interrupt me when I was speaking, baka neko." Yuki snapped, "Just don't let her drive herself into exhaustion. I suspect that she stayed up all night worrying about you. She's like that when she's worried."

Kyo twisted his face, both impatiently and confusedly. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"Honda-san is staying at home today," explained Yuki, looking irritable. "to look after you. It's not like her to skive school, and she's only doing this because you're stupid and badly injured. You _know_ how eager she is to finish high school."

"So now it's my damn fault? Think about this, Yuki. It's not like I _wanted_ to be injured!"

"No, but your immense stupidity obviously had had it all planned out. Things like these always seem to happen to _you_. Or do you think it's fun to see her worried? I think this time you should stay away from trouble, Kyo. Don't you dare worry her anymore. Just get well soon." As soon as the last words came out of his mouth, Yuki paced towards the exit and went out, slamming the door behind him.

Kyo stared at the closed door for several seconds before tossing the blanket over his head, covering himself from the outside world. Yuki had just said 'get well soon' to him, which was a first. But the words were not spoken kindly at all. They were spoken harshly, and with so much hate that there wouldn't be much difference if Yuki had said 'die you inbred moron' instead. It sounded more like blasphemy than an actual wish for greater health.

"Damn that Yuki," muttered Kyo. He pricked his ears as he heard a familiar sound; a rattle of wood, the sliding of a door, someone's feet stepping inside. He didn't want anyone inside right now, not after Yuki pissed him off like that. "Get out!" Kyo shouted to that someone who entered the room.

"Oh!" squeaked a female voice, and sounds of clumsy clutters followed.

Kyo needn't a peek out of his blanket to guess the person who just came in. She was undoubtedly Tohru.

"I-I'm sorry, Kyo-kun!" Tohru began, "I didn't realise you wanted some rest. You must have needed some. I'm so sorry, I didn't think of that. I-I'll go away now, I promise I won't bother you!"

Kyo threw the covers off his torso and shouted after her, cursing himself yet again for acting without thinking. "Wait!" he yelled so loudly his voice rang in his ears, making his head spin, and Tohru stopped in midturn, her face concerned. He saw that her long brown hair was braided down her back, and she was carrying a tray in her hands, where a bowl of hot soup pleasingly lay. As she slowly turned her head to him, Kyo looked away from her. "Uh. I didn't mean to make y-_you_ go away. I just thought you were someone.. insignificant."

Tohru couldn't help but smile. "I made you soup. Would you like some?"

"Uh – yeah, of course."

She kneeled down beside him and placed the tray by his mattress. Kyo noticed that she was wearing her house clothes, and so he realised it was true: Tohru really _was_ staying at home. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "You should be at school.. why?"

"Well, I-I'd worry about you too much if I went to school," Tohru answered, and her face flushed at the thought of cutting school. "so I thought I'd stay home for the day. I know Shigure-san is here at home, and it's not that I don't trust him to look after you, but I'd feel much better if it was me who took care of you. I-I don't know why.." she added quickly.

"You.. you shouldn't force yourself too much."

"But I don't," said Tohru automatically. "I _want_ to take care of you. That's why I'm here."

Kyo didn't reply and looked down at his bandaged hand - he didn't realise it was bandaged, but it was, and his head was too. He thought of yesterday, at the Main House, where he fell in front of Akito, bloodied and bruised. If he was unable to protect even himself, how was he supposed to protect Tohru? Yuki would have probably done better. He looked up. "Are you.. really okay with this?"

Tohru looked straight at him, and knew at once what he meant. "You don't have to worry about me," she said, "I'm perfectly fine! Akito-san didn't hurt me at all."

"Don't _lie_ to me. It's not making me feel any better."

Tohru held his hand as if desperate to assure him, and the feel of her hand against his own sent shudders to his spine. "I'm quite alright," she said. "Really, I'm—"

"Well, you shouldn't be. You shouldn't be okay. You should be angry. God damn it, you should have left the house."

"But I mean it," Tohru said, with more ardor. Her eyes were very bright. "Yuki-kun and the others came just in time, and Akito-san did calm down a little while after that. From then on, everything was under control. Akito-san even gave me some cookies to take home! He was very kind. But, what I'm really worried about is," her expression turned anxious. "you, Kyo-kun. What happened to you?"

Kyo shrugged dismissively. "You can it see for yourself - I'm all right."

She shook her head. "Hatori-san said that burn on your wrist looked quite serious when he checked on you this morning. He didn't know what might have caused such a burn. He said it was irregular, and I had to agree with him. He also said you had a slight concussion."

__

Concussion? Is that why he couldn't remember anything after he got home from the Main House last night? So he's suffering partial amnesia? How cliché is that?

"Look, whatever Hatori said to you, ignore it. He's obviously exaggerating too much and I can see that's scaring you. Ignore him, okay? Trust me."

Tohru looked upset, and her hand went back to her lap. She was probably thinking how pointless it would be to argue over such a thing. If he didn't want to talk about it, then he probably won't. There was no need to push the issue further. "Okay.." she said defeatedly, "But please, can you eat your soup? At least I can convince myself that you're fine once you finish it."

Kyo smiled. "Stupid," he said, hitting her playfully on her head. "I never intended on not eating it anyway."

Tohru enthusiastically shoved the bowl towards Kyo, "Here." she said, "I hope you enjoy it."

The soup looked incredibly appetizing to Kyo who hadn't had anything to eat since the day before, and he could feel his stomach churn hungrily. Yet a distinct smell the greenish soup gave made something in Kyo's instinct jolt to avoid. Instincts also told him to look suspiciously at Tohru. "Oy. That's not _leek_ soup is it?"

A slight falter in Tohru's move betrayed her. "Uhm," she mumbled, and then it dawned on him.

"You dare put _leeks_ in _my_ soup..? I HATE leeks!!" Kyo burst out, and Tohru's face fell.

"B-But Kyo-kun! Leek is supposed to be very good for the fever," she reasoned. "The leek soup you made for me long ago inspired me greatly, so I made one for you too. So it'll give you strength! Would you please eat it, just for the sake of your health?"

If Tohru had asked Kyo to blow up the house, he probably would have done it. He swore silently to himself. "Well, okay, uhm, since you're so good at cooking and all, maybe this leek soup would taste somehow.. different.. I guess." with trembling hands he moved the bowl closer to him, and raised the spoon to his mouth. "I-Itadakima-a-a-su."

The taste of leek on his tongue was appalling, but it was as if looking at Tohru gave him the strength to endure it. She was obviously gazing at him with the utmost expectations, and Kyo knew that in her little heart, she was praying silently that he _would_ enjoy this meal somehow. And putting aside his never-ending issues with leeks, he actually did.

"Kyo-kun," he heard Tohru utter graciously after a few tormenting minutes, "you finished it!"

Kyo stared at his empty bowl. So he did. "Goichizo-sama," he murmured softly, obviously amazed with himself. He wondered briefly, where did all that horrible taste go?

"See, Kyo-kun?" said Tohru happily, her hands placing his bowl back to her tray. "With hard work and a little pain, the best of things shall come by you. I'm sure you'll get better in no time!"

When she raised her head to him, Kyo realised she was smilling broadly. He gulped. There was always something about Tohru's smile that made Kyo feel like a pinned marshmallow. Maybe it was the way her eyes narrow gratefully, or the way her lips seem to curve up like an archer's bow, or perhaps, it was the very fact that her smile was the most genuine thing he had ever seen. Her smile was worth everything to him.

What was it that she said earlier,Kyo thought absent-mindedly. With hard work and a little pain, huh? Okay.

"Oy," Kyo called. His eyes avoided her gaze, but his arm was outstreched with his empty bowl. "How about a refill?"

**

"Are you joining us for dinner, Ha-san?"

Hatori trapped a cigarette between his lips. "Maybe," he answered, reaching over the table for his lighter. "But we'll see." It was already afternoon, and he hadn't left Shigure's house since he dropped them off in the morning, and to his great amazement, he was really getting used to the house. Before Tohru was there, it was always like stepping inside a pig's den, and Hatori never bothered to waste time inside. But now that Tohru cleaned everything up, a feeling of comfort he never thought belonged there was brought up to the surface.

"Strange of you to be out from the Main House for this long." Shigure mused, his eyes scanning the page of the newspaper he was holding. "Won't Akito be looking for you?"

"He has Kureno beside him. He won't even realise I'm out."

"I understand why you're avoiding him, Ha-san. Especially after what happened last night."

"Yes, last night wasn't nice." Hatori muttered nonchalantly, flicking his lighter which somehow refused to work. He tried flicking it a few more times, but the results remained the same. He grunted, loudly enough for Shigure to notice and look up at him.

"Out of gas?" Shigure asked, snickering slightly. "Now that won't work. Use this one." He took out a lighter from inside his yukata and threw it to Hatori, who caught it. "You can have that. Present for you!" he added.

Hatori raised an eyebrow. "_Have_ this? To hear such a thing from you, I'm quite surprised. You can't be serious."

"Of course I am!" replied Shigure buoyantly, "It's yours anyway. With my falcon eyes, I saw, I came, and I snatched it away from your table when you weren't looking yesterday!"

__

Falcon eyes? Hatori pretended he didn't hear that. "So you were just giving me back something you stole from me. I should have known." he lit his cigarette and placed the lighter back where it belonged – inside his coat.

As Hatori smoked, Shigure continued scanning the newspaper, and by the quick turning of the pages, Hatori was quite certain his cousin was not quite reading it. He also noticed Shigure wore a hazy expression on his face, one he often used when he was thinking of a plot for his novels, or perhaps, a plot for his own actions. "Are you sure Akito won't be looking for you?" Shigure suddenly piped up. He seemed to have finished reading the newspaper which was folded neatly on the floor.

Hatori narrowed his eyes. "Why do you ask? Are you hiding something, Shigure?"

"Ha-san, please don't answer a question with another question."

"I've already answered that question. There is no need to answer it again."

"I just wanted you to be sure. No one can predict Akito's doings."

"You mean no one but you."

Shigure looked surprised. "I didn't say that."

"No, you didn't." A puff of smoke escaped from between Hatori's lips, with shapes like cloudy 'O's. "But I guessed that was your point."

Shigure laughed, without real humor. "Sometimes you can joke, Ha-san." he said. "But you're not funny when you do. I feel so naked and exposed around you. It feels good. It feels like coming home."

"I'm not 'home'."

"I know you're not. You're in mine."

Hatori shot him a look of dislike. "Don't play with fire, Shigure." he said coldly, "Sometimes you are reckless."

"Yes, sometimes I am." agreed Shigure, his lips twitching into a dormant smile. "For that, you really shouldn't interfere. You don't want to trip and fall into one of my recklessness, do you?"

Hatori didn't say a word, much too unprepared to venture a comment. He stared at his friend's face as if he was a puzzle he could not solve. Maybe, he thought, Shigure was really a whole lot more unpredictable than he was ever given credit for.

**

Tohru soaked the small towel in the basin, where the water was icy against her fingers. She took it out and squeezed it as hard as she could until only minor drops of water dripped from it. Then she placed it, very carefully, on Kyo's warm forehead. She looked down at him. "It's not too cold, is it Kyo-kun?"

"It's wet. I'm sick. What was I supposed to feel?" Kyo yawned, "I _knew_ I shouldn't have eaten that leek.."

"Ah.. but I see you're sweating now. Hatori-san informed that would be a good sign."

Kyo closed his eyes. "A good sign, huh?" he said, his voice somewhat remote. "That's probably what I need right now.."

Tohru wondered what he was talking about. Perhaps he was still thinking about what happened in the Main House. She decided to change the subject, "Er, Kyo-kun. Don't you think the weather's somewhat strange? It usually snows around Christmas, but this year it snowed a week beforehand. It's rather odd, don't you think?"

A faint mumble was her only answer. She stared at him. It was amazing how different Kyo looked when he was sleeping. His eyes shut fast, and his dark lashes contrasted against his pale skin. He looked handsome, but in an oddly eerie way. Something in his face changed, yet she couldn't put her finger on what it is. "Kyo-kun," she asked softly. "are you falling asleep?"

Kyo jerked awake guiltily. "Huh? No. Not at all."

"I'm sorry," apologized Tohru, but she was looking at him with amusement. "I must have disturbed you in mid-sleep."

"Mpphnope. Just tired. Not sleepy."

"You're closing your eyes. You're tired. Have some rest."

"I said me not sleepy. Me just rest eyes.. for a while." Kyo drew in a deep breath, his cheek resting on the palm of his hand, and his eyes fluttered to a close.

Tohru smiled to herself, thinking about those early hours in the morning when Kyo ate five servings of her homemade leek soup. She was overjoyed. A tingling feeling in her chest whispered to her that his actions were done entirely to please her, but perhaps she was just being overly romantic. She had hoped something else would happen after that. She had hoped some magic would occur, yet only normal conversations followed thereafter. Mostly she talked about school and he listened to her as he streched along his matress. He also did homework and she watched him carefully, pointing out his mistakes once in a while.

After some time he grew tired, perhaps a side-effect from his medicine, and he laid down and drowned under his covers. It only took a moment for her to realise that he fevered once again. He continued being fevered for hours, from noon until the evening claimed time. Tohru had stayed by his side the whole way through; changing the towels on his forehead, brushing his hair out of his eyes, listening to his never-ending complaints, and cracking cheesy jokes that only made him frown.

Now he had fallen asleep, and quite deeply. She gazed at his sleeping face. His eyes were closed. His lids faintly colored from the fever. She bent down and gently kissed his temple. He did not move. She wondered what he was dreaming.

**

Kyo dreamt of an undying place that lacked light, time, and even sound. Everything around him was pitch black, as black as ebony and his dreams nowadays, but there was no sound to guide him as before. Sound was a faraway country he could not touch. And peculiar it was, considering most of his recent dreams were invaded by the most scariest sounds he had ever heard: swords clashing, people screaming, husky voices urging him to find something.. important..

At first it felt like a dreamless sleep he could rest in. But no matter how hard he tried, his body would not allow rest. Peaceful sleep crawled away from him and slipped away like water, and as his body tugged him further into the darkness, he realised something that would make his sleep _not_ a dreamless one. Whereas everything else around him and beyond was as black as ink, a fracture was seen in the distance. A fracture that had the colour of snow, and it looked a white stain against a midnight veil.

That white fracture shouldn't be there, Kyo knew that. That dab of ivory in the horizon was ruining the whole picture. It was a flaw, it was not supposed to fit anywhere. Everything was supposed to be pure black! It is wrong, and it would be as wrong as not hearing nature's voice, not bowing to nature's call. Kyo was angry and went on being angry without knowing why. He ran forthwards, intenting to annihilate that white fault in the dark. He must reach it. He must annihilate it.

But, before he even reached it, the whole blackness was suddenly damaged. Kyo stared in horror as what was once a single crack of white break into multiple roots that spread all over the empty space like cracks on a clay. His surroundings suddenly shattered like a mirror being broken, and it collapsed into pieces, raining down on him like shards of broken black glass. The falling pieces revealed a white canopy that must have hid behind it, and it gave him a blinding brightness like the brilliant light of dawn after the sleeping hours of night.

This was a nightmare. He rejected the light that shone upon him. That light concealed him from the invisible world of hope and redemption he must win over. He wished for the darkness back, the darkness that reminded him so much of.. something..

As the black pieces continued to fall, one by one, Kyo slowly came to understand what it reminded him of.

__

Like a puzzle

Yes, he thought. This place had been a puzzle. His own puzzle, the one he had obtained by seeking each little scrap and picking up each little shred. But his puzzle was ruined now. It was cracked and destroyed. What his puzzle consisted of, Kyo couldn't seem to remember. But he swore, by his own name, that he will find each pieces of the puzzle one more time, and put it into place with his own hands.

**

"Sohma KYO!!"

Yuki was mildly entertained in class when Mayuko-sensei hit Kyo's head with a blue jumbo chalk. "What have I told you about sleeping in my class, Sohma?" Mayuko-sensei glowered, and with her lofty frame, she towered over a vague-looking Kyo.

"Sorry, Sensei." mumbled Kyo, rumpling his hair which had partly turned blue because of the chalk. He was looking quite drained, even for someone who had just recovered from a fever. "I haven't been sleeping well."

The female teacher sighed, flipping close the book in her hand. "Look, Sohma. I understand you've only just recovered from your illness, but you've been sleeping in almost every period. That's just ridiculous. You can wash your face of you want, but once I hear about you sleeping in class again, there'll be no more toleration. Understand?"

"I understand, Sensei."

"You'd better." Mayuko-sensei flipped her book open again, turned, and walked back to the front of the classroom, hastily continuing what she had been teaching. "..and after wounding shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the great General Sanada Yukimura comitted seppuku in 1615.."

A sudden eruption of whispered remarks ran around Kyo:

"Busted! Naughty Kyon-chan is sleeping in class."

"Ne, Kyon-kyon. Are you insomniac or something?"

"I bet Kyon-kyon reads porn under his blankets with a torchlight. That's why he couldn't sleep!"

Kyo flushed with rage. "I never do that!" he hissed a little too loudly, causing Mayuko-sensei to give him yet another glare.

Uotani Arisa, who sat two desks away from him, scrunched up a tiny paper ball and flicked it towards Kyo, which bounced off his forehead. "Nice, Kyon." she said teasingly as Kyo turned to glare at her, "I have to admit you never struck me as that type of guy."

"I'm telling you I'm not into that stuff!" he said hotly, and then everyone else around him fell into fits of laughter, their hands slapping his back, hitting his arm playfully, or just messing up his hair; all touching him in a way, and Kyo smiled. No one had ever touched Yuki like that before. People touched him, of course. With a hand on his shoulder or by a formal handshake, but never hit or slap him or mess with his hair. A creeping sadness suddenly invaded Yuki's bones. He turned away from Kyo and caught Tohru's eye, and she smiled at him, the sweetest smile. He smiled back, and as she turned to focus on her History notebook, he did the same also.

Then the bell rang. "Okay, that's it class!" Mayuko-sensei chirped zestfully, gathering her books into her arms. "Homework on page 164, to be handed in before the holidays. Don't forget, and good day!" and she left the room.

Tohru raised from her seat and walked over to Yuki. "Yuki-kun," she said. "Do you have any plans for lunch today?"

"Plans?" Yuki paused. "No, not really. Although I might have to help the student council members move the council equipments to the new room, but I guess that's not until further noon. We won't have a meeting till then. Why do you ask?"

"How about having lunch together?"

She needn't ask. "I'd love to," he said, smiling brilliantly up at her.

Tohru clapped her hands together. "That's great! It's been so long since it snowed this much at school, so I thought we could eat outside with the others. Is that alright with you, Yuki-kun? I-I mean, it's going to be a bit cold outside, and your brochitis-"

"That sounds excellent." Yuki cut in. He didn't want her worrying about him after seeing her worry that much about Kyo. Besides, his brochitis was almost cured. He hadn't had an attack for almost a year now. "Anyway, I like snow." Yuki added, as an afterthought.

"Snow.. is cold." murmured Saki, who suddenly appeared behind Tohru and Yuki filnched back instinctively. "Hanajima-san.." he said, "You gave me a fright. Please don't show up so suddenly like that."

Saki simply raised her eyebrows. "Oh? You are also cold, Sohma Yuki.."

"Wait.. I didn't mean.."

"..cold.."

"Stop that, Hanajima. You're scaring him." said Arisa helpfully, walking towards her. She seemed to be done pestering Kyo.

"Erh, I think Saki is right!" Tohru piped up.

Saki looked merely amused. "Tohru-kun.. you think I am right? How nice of you."

"Yes, snow is cold but it's also very beautiful. My mother used to say that snow is one of God's designs.." she trailed off, perhaps thinking about her mother. Then without warning, she took Yuki's hand and pulled him up. "Oh, come on! Let's all go outside!!"

And before he knew it, Yuki had let himself be dragged out onto the schoolyard, where everything from the ground to the evergreen trees were sugar-coated in white. Sohma Momiji and Sohma Hatsuharu was already there with Kyo, obviously quarelling. Momiji simply looked like a cheerleader who urged them on. Yuki glanced at Tohru, who was gazing at the sight in admiration. "It's beautiful, isn't Honda-san?" he said.

"Yes, it is." she said in an awed voice. "Beautiful."

"It's good to have snow once in a while." said Arisa conversationally, to no one in particular. She was twirling her lunchbox with one finger, as if it was a basket ball. "But don't you think it snowed rather early this year?"

Tohru looked surprisedly at her. "Uo-chan, that's exactly what I thought! How amazing, it's like you read my mind!"

"Maybe Hanajima's powers are rubbing off on me." she grinned at Saki, who simply stared emptily at her. "Or not. Or maybe.. the Gods granted my wish to stuff snow inside Kyon's pants before Christmas!! Ow–!"

"Not a chance, Yankee!" shouted Kyo, grinning with a victorious smile. His hands were full of snow.

Arisa stepped back, brushing snow off the shoulder of her uniform and looking furious. She glared back and forth between Kyo and a small dump on the ground that seemed to be the remains of her lunch. "You spilled my lunch, you stupid Orange-atama!"

"Serves you right for making everyone think I hide porn magazines under my bed!!"

"That's not true? And I thought a _real_ guy owns at least one."

"Erh, excuse me Uotani-san." said Yuki, a nervous hand halfway in the air. "I don't have any either. But please, don't tell me that does not make me a real guy.."

"Oh." Arisa quieted, obviously reconsidering her words. Then her face cracked into a smile. "Of _course_ you don't. You're different, Oujisama! I'd never think that of you! As for Kyon here.."

"Hey! Now you're just being mean! Not all manly guys own t-that _stuff_!!"

Haru placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder. "I see you have trouble dealing with the facts of life, Kyo." he said blankly.

"Oy, Haru." Kyo said, his voice annoyed. "Don't tell me things like that as if you know about it!"

"I do, actually." Haru said, "I have experienced it.. a few times."

Silence.

"Really, Hatsuharu-san!?" Tohru seemed very surprised. "I didn't know a person with such knowledge even existed near me.. I feel so honored.."

"Honda-san, that's actually not something you should be honored of." Yuki assured her. He glanced in Haru's direction and gave him a mental kick for talking so abrupt in front of Tohru, and Momiji too.

Kyo snorted. "Okay, so you have experience in that department, but you'll still never beat me in other things! I challenge you into a snowball fight!" he pointed at Yuki, "You too, kuso nezumi!!"

Yuki sighed, as if bored. "Aren't you bored of losing, baka neko?"

"Don't just talk!! Come here and fight like a man!!"

Yuki moved over to Tohru. "Honda-san," he said, quietly so that only she could hear him. "Can you please go somewhere else with Uotani-san and Hanajima-san? It would be troublesome if one of us suddenly crashed into them. If you can take Momiji too, that would be better. Kyo seemed quite serious this time."

Tohru nodded, and turned to Momiji, who was building a tiny snowman by her side. "Momiji-kun, come and build a snowcastle with me! Hana-chan and Uo-chan too, I'll show you how good I am at making it!"

"Okay, Tohru!" Momiji said excitedly, taking Tohru's hand.

Arisa crossed her arms, looking doubtful. "Have you made a snowcastle before, Tohru?"

"Erh, no." confessed Tohru, flushing slightly. "But I've made a sandcastle, and it had a pretty good shape!"

"'A pretty good shape'?" echoed Arisa, shaking her head. "Come on, Hanajima. We probably should help her out. Oh, wait I forgot something." she began scrabbling snow with her fingers in an attempt to make a snowball, and with an evil look on her face, she threw it directly at Kyo, who yowled in anger as the snowball hit his face. "Yes! Take that! Take that!"

"Uotani, you stupid Yankee!!" Kyo yelled, but Arisa had already rejoined Tohru and the others, out of earshot and howling with laughter. "I'll get that girl back, I will."

Yuki frowned. "I thought you wanted a snowball fight. Make up your mind, baka neko."

"I agree with Yuki," Haru said, nodding after Yuki.

"Shut up! I meant AFTER our fight!!" Kyo shouted heatedly. "You're all going to lose this time. I'll show you what I'm made of. In the end, I'll definitely say – ow!!"

Haru was laughing. "'Ow' indeed!"

Yuki clapped another pound of snow into his hands, "I think that really tells you not to talk too much during fights."

Kyo shook his head, shaking snow off him. "I.. will.. kill.. you.. both!!" then he jumped on Haru, knocking him over and stuffing snow inside his uniform, and Yuki saw that he was laughing. Really laughing, as though he really enjoyed it. Perhaps unconciously, Yuki thought. Kyo would never laugh like that. He just wouldn't. Haru yelled and began scraping more snow into his hand, and shoved it in Kyo's face in a gleeful manner.

"Yuki!" Haru called, and threw snow at him, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his back.

"Hey, I'm not finished with you, stupid!" yelled Kyo, stuffing Haru's face with as much snow he could find. Yuki smiled at the sight and laid down on his back. This was supposed to be a fight, but why does it feel so peaceful? There was something different about Kyo, perhaps. He seemed more welcome to people than he usually was, except to Yuki. Yuki remembered how Kyo let Arisa go away after hitting him with a snowball. And also when his classmates called him Kyon-kyon.. didn't he see him smile?

"Get up, Yuki. This is no time to make snow angels."

Yuki looked up and saw Kyo, looking down at him. "Come to finish me off?" he said, but not unkindly.

"Yeah, I thought I could kill you under the cover of broad daylight and nobody would notice." Kyo said, and then he grinned, lopsidedly. There was a fresh snowball in his hand. "Take this, kuso nezumi!!"

Yuki rolled away just in time to evade Kyo's snowball, scooping a handful of snow as he did. He righted himself up, and when he turned back to Kyo, Kyo was crouching on the snow and was looking down at his left hand almost quizically. His face was oddly white, expresionless, and his eyes shining with a strange light. He was also shaking, Yuki noticed, as if in fear of something extraordinary. "Kyo…?" Yuki said.

Kyo looked up quickly, his face horrified. "DON'T LOOK AT ME!!" he yelled, and his voice cracked like a whip against his bare skin. Kyo hurled a handful of loose snow in Yuki's face, and Yuki shut his eyes to block the snow from entering his eyes. When he opened them, all he could glimpse of Kyo was his alarmed figure, bolting off towards the school building, and disappearing into it.

"Kyo-kun!" shouted a voice from behind Yuki's ear.

Yuki turned and saw Tohru, standing behind him with a thunderstruck look on her face. She must have heard Kyo's yell, Yuki thought. Tohru turned to him, and a desperate flash in her eyes amazed him. "What happened, Yuki-kun?" her voice was shrill with panic, "Why did he scarper like that? He looked frightened.. and there was something in his eyes that was similar to.. that time.. but why? D-Did you.."

..say something to hurt him?

The unspoken words made Yuki's eyes go round by surprise. It was obviously something she had in mind but couldn't bring herself to say out loud. Tohru just stared at him in dismay, not wanting to believe that he would actually do something as bad. Yuki stood up, and placed both hands on her shoulders. "I don't know, Honda-san." he said this, very slowly and quietly. "Even I don't quite understand what just happened."

After a moment, Tohru nodded, and Yuki sighed in relief. She looked into his eyes and smiled weakly. "Oh, Yuki-kun. I'm sorry. I was afraid something terrible happened between you two." her eyes shifted to the school building, "I think I should go after him–"

"No," said Yuki, his hands still firm on her shoulders. "Let _me_ go. I will go after him."

**

Kyo held his wrist as hard as he can and sprinted into the school halls, ignoring the passing students, teachers, and everyone else who was there. Finally, he crashed into the restroom, and breathed with relief, thankful that no one was inside. He ran to the sink and turned the tap and soaked his hand under the cool water that ran free from it.

He tried to steady his breath, but it just wouldn't do. His wrist had been burning, blistering his skin, ever since he recovered from the fever. He hadn't told anyone, and had hid the burns quite well behind his beads. But then.. at that moment, in the snow, Kyo realised the skin around his wrist had morphed into something so frightening. His skin had turned scaly and yellow and wrinkled, and Kyo felt disgusted with himself just looking at it. It was something else's not his own. And after a moment he realised whose skin it was – the skin of his second form.

But he still had his beads, didn't he? Why was he changing? Didn't it work anymore? Kyo felt helpless, and scared. He didn't know what to do. Perhaps he really was running out of time..

__

Time

And he remembered.

That night, after coming home from Akito's house, finding the box in his room.. the pieces of his puzzle has finally returned into its rightful place. That _something_ that went out of the box.. Kyo knew what it was. Another curse filled with the utmost revenge. Someone else's revenge. Someone from the past.

__

You don't have time

"Kyo..hei.." Kyo murmured a name, unwillingly, and he felt something; a strong and sudden heat that could blow him up from inside, as if he was spontaneously combusting. He doubled over, slamming his fists on the sink. "Why does it have to be me? I've got enough on my mind already, damn it!" he yelled.

__

Yuuka

"Get out of myself! Get out!"

__

Kidou

Kyo lifted both fists, and the sides of his hands were already bruising badly with a dark shade of blue and purple. He looked at himself in the mirror, and he held his left hand – his monster hand – tightly, as if it would suddenly run wild if he didn't secure it properly. He felt so angry. Never in his life he felt so much hate and revenge. He was astounded at how much hate he was feeling right now, and what angried him more, the hate he was feeling was hate for his own self. His own stupid self, for letting himself get that box and open it. His hand wouldn't turn out this way if he was a little bit smarter..

He glared at himself in the mirror. "Why are you here? Why? I hate you.. I HATE YOU!!" with the last words, Kyo's fist came hurling into the mirror, and it broke with a sound of a thousand shatters, falling into numerous reflective pieces. Then Kyo placed his right hand on the sink, and slumped down to the floor. All of a sudden, he felt old and tired. He rolled over and sat down properly, his back leaning against the wall and looked down at his left hand, where the blood mingled with the glass pieces of the mirror and his horrible yellow skin. "You're disgusting," he said.

He was about to stand up and wash the blood and glass out of his hand when the door opened, and Haru went inside.

"Haru!" said Kyo, shocked at seeing him. Fear of being discovered crept up his skin and he quickly covered his hand with the other, which was a tad gesture in his case. "What are you doing here!?"

Did he see it? Did he see his hand?

Kyo looked hard at him, but Haru's face was unreadable. "Answer me, Haru." he said. Haru's eyes were scanning quickly from Kyo's bloodied hand to his angry face then to his own face in the mirror.

"That's a nasty cut you've got there, Kyo." Haru said tonelessly, and Kyo blinked at him. "I guess you're hacked off because you still can't beat Yuki in a snowball fight. Did you hit that mirror while visualizing Yuki? That's a very childish thing for you to do."

Kyo stared at him. "I don't care. I hate him."

"Here," Haru threw something to Kyo, and he caught it with one hand and felt leather. It was a glove. Kyo recognized it as the glove Haru used for his bicycle rides. The glove was bi-coloured, like Haru's hair; the inner side of it where his palm would be was in vermilion red, and the outer side of it was coloured in white. "It will hide that horrible-looking cut. No one's going to worry about you."

He quickly slipped it on. "Oy, Haru." he said, and Haru stopped from turning around. "You really.. didn't see?"

There was a pause, and it was a dreadful one for Kyo. His heart beat fast inside his ribcage; he wouldn't know what to do if Haru told everyone else about his hideous hand. _Please say no, please say no_. Kyo urged on mentally. Haru turned his head, just slightly so that Kyo could see his face, "See what?" he said.

Kyo stared at him. So he didn't see it, he thought. All Haru glimpsed was the injury on his hand. That should make him feel better. He should be letting out a breath of relief, or feel the rapid pounding in his heart lessen to a normal pace. He shouldn't be feeling doubt, or this mounting worry in his heart. Haru wouldn't lie about such a thing, would he?

"See what, Kyo?" Haru repeated. His voice was as blank as it usually was whenever he is in White mode.

Kyo looked down at the floor. "Nothing."

Another pause went passing by. Haru turned back, "I think, I'll go and see Yuki." he said. He pushed at the door, and stepped out of the restroom, although not quite out of Kyo's concern.

******


End file.
